Behind the Scenes at the Museum / Human Croquet / Emotionally Weird

by Kate Atkinson

Genres: Fiction

1025 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Kate Atkinson was born in York and now lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award and she has been a critically acclaimed international bestselling author ever since.

She is the author of a collection of short stories, Not the End of the World, and of the critically acclaimed novels Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Case Histories, and One Good Turn.

Case Histories introduced her readers to Jackson Brodie, former police inspector turned private investigator, and won the Saltire Book of the Year Award and the Prix Westminster.

When Will There Be Good News? was voted Richard & Judy Book Best Read of the Year. After Case Histories and One Good Turn, it was her third novel to feature the former private detective Jackson Brodie, who makes a welcome return in Started Early, Took My Dog.

Reviews

[Deb Wright]

Read this book about 15years ago and loved. Loved all the layers and flips back in time - presnt day, find a button in a crack in a kitchen flagstone, flips to the past when the button falls from the garment and ends up between the flagstones. - old b&w photo in the present day, depicting all the family, flips to the past and the day the travelling photographer turns up on their land, offering to take the photo.
want to read again but my mind is having some difficulties and I'm not so sure I can follow the switching of time so well. Will have a try as want to revisit it.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read Behind the Scenes at the Museum, which was Atkinson's debut novel. I finished Life After Life a few weeks ago (highly recommended!) and have also read some of her detective series. Just like in Life After Life, I found that the book gathered steam and momentum as it went along. Ruby is the narrator, and her voice grows with power as she grows older. The novel flashes back and forth in time to flesh out the stories of her ancestors as well as her life, and I sometimes got a little lost or forgot whom was whom. Mostly, though, I was able to keep track of what was going on. The language and insights are sometimes funny, sometimes piercing, sometimes sad.

[Irina Torch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Atkinson is terrific in describing how war affects people on a personal level, as well as a family, a community and a nation.
I also loved her capacity of describing the gaps between generations and how each one has its problems and faces different difficulties, having its stronger and weaker sides.

[Libbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my fav or her books, but my first. Just re-read it after 15 years, and enjoyed the story since I had forgotten part of it.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much detail about British life for me, but otherwise a strong and compelling book. Atkinson is a master of timeline.

[Julieanna Fierro · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my faves, read it once a year

[Georgina Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to get into it as the structure of flitting between timelines took a while to get used to. Enjoyed it in the end though

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read Behind the Scenes of the Museum, not all threee titles in this box set. This was my first Atkinson book. I really liked her characters and descriptions of everyday events. Poor Ruby. This book follows four generations and lots of relatives. I wanted a family tree and figured other readers must have felt the same. I did a Google search and found one.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished Behind the Scenes at the Museum, not all 3 volumes. I really liked it, but it was a tougher read for me with all the various characters throughout many different generations. Well written. I would have enjoyed it more as a vacation book with large chunks of time to read it at once. Not a book I recommend picking up and putting down.

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Behind the Scenes of the Museum and loved its four generations of characters. I found a resemblance, at least in richness and twists and turns of plot to the books of Jon Irving, but with a female emphasis. Loved the strength of the women, the imperfections of the myriad of characters.

[Louise Annetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I enjoyed the book and found the characters fascinating. There are many characters from many generations and branches of the family. I found a copy of a family tree to accompany the book. I wish i had had it from the beginning.

I just started Human Croquet and am making a family tree as i go along. It will help keep everyone straight.

[Lotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

har læst "Behind the scenes..." på engelsk flere gange, kan rigtigt godt lide rytmen i sproget.
De andre har jeg læst på dansk og de er også gode, men "Behind the scenes ... " er min klare favorit. Kate Atkinson skriver godt om dysfunktionelle familier med hemmeligheder.

[Heidi Vedder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Kate Atkinson's books - she always has a surprise up her sleeve and the characters come to life in my mind.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read behind the scenes .... Just ok for me.